NORTHERN END OF THE PASSAGE AT 6 P.M.

The Age, Melbourne, 22 March, 1952.

BARRIER REEF DISASTER

Warning

But the Yongala was well clear

of this string of islands (Whitsundays) 

before she went down, Hallam, a mere 

lad then working on his father's trading 

ketch, had seen her steam through the 

northern end of this sixty-mile passage. 

That was about 6 p.m. on March 23, 1911. 

A cyclone warning had gone out, and all 

small craft were making for shelter.

This paragraph is loaded with revealing information. 

Captain Hallam recalled seeing Yongala at the 'northern end' of the Whitsundays at 'about 6 p.m.'. Dent Island is at the southern end of the passage. Simply put, Hallam confirmed that Yongala was much further along the passage by dusk, 6 p.m., than quoted at the Inquiry. This makes sense in the context of Yongala reaching the disaster site by 11.45 p.m..

It is extraordinary that a 'cyclone warning had gone out' and 'all small craft were making for shelter'. How was this achieved and why was a large commercial steamer like Yongala not privy to the same warning??

For large vessels there are only two ways 

of dealing with such storms. One is to heave 

to and ride it out. The other to run before it.

And therein lies the truth of the tragedy, Captain Knight opted for 'running before it', not realising that he was running into it.

It was further surmised that Captain Knight could have sought anchorage at Bowen before steaming into the heart of the cyclone. 

It was not to be.

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